How to Promote Your Pub: 12 Practical Ideas for UK Pub Owners

1. Optimise your Google Business Profile

When someone searches "pub near me" or your pub's name, your Google Business Profile is often the first thing they see — before your website or social pages. Treat it as your shop window.

• Check your opening hours are correct, and add special hours for bank holidays and Christmas well in advance.
• Choose accurate categories (for example "Pub" plus "Gastropub" or "Sports bar" if they genuinely apply).
• Upload recent photos of the bar, garden, food and the outside of the building so people recognise it when they arrive.
• Fill in attributes such as dog-friendly, beer garden, step-free access or live sport.
• Use Google posts for events and offers — they're easy to forget, but they show on your listing.

Example post (illustrative)"Quiz night every Thursday from 8pm. Teams of up to six, £1 per person, cash prize for the winners. Kitchen open until 9."

2. Create engaging Facebook posts

Facebook is still where many local customers, especially regulars and families, check what's happening at their pub. The posts that work best are specific, local and easy to act on.

• Lead with the useful detail: what, when and why someone should come.
• Use your own photos rather than stock images — people want to see your pub.
• Keep it short. Two or three sentences usually beats a long paragraph.
• Reply to comments promptly; it shows the pub is run by real people.
• Post event details more than once: a week before, a day or two before, and on the day.

Example post (illustrative)"Steak night is back this Tuesday 🥩 Two 8oz rumps, chips and a bottle of house red for £30. Book a table by calling the bar."

3. Use Instagram to showcase the pub

Instagram is a visual platform, so it suits the things that make your pub feel inviting: a freshly poured pint, a Sunday roast, a busy garden, the fire lit on a cold evening.

• Use natural light where you can and keep the background tidy.
• Mix food and drink shots with the atmosphere — people, music, the bar team.
• Add your town or village name and a few relevant local hashtags.
• Use Stories for same-day updates such as "garden's open and the sun's out".

4. Promote Sunday lunches and food specials

Food is often what turns a quick drink into a longer visit. Sunday lunch in particular is a planned decision — many families decide where to go days in advance.

• Post your Sunday menu on Thursday or Friday, not Sunday morning.
• Mention booking clearly, and say if you can cater for vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free diners.
• Show the actual plate. A well-lit photo of your roast does more than a description.
• Give weekday specials a name and a regular slot ("Pie Wednesday") so people remember them.

Example post (illustrative)"This Sunday: roast beef or nut roast with all the trimmings, from 12 till 5. Tables are filling up — ring the bar to book."

5. Advertise quiz nights and pub events

Regular events give people a reason to come back on a set night. The key is consistency and reminding people at the right moments.

• Keep the same night and start time so it becomes a habit.
• Share three posts per event: an announcement, a reminder a day or two before, and a last call on the day.
• Include practical details: start time, team size, entry cost and whether food is served.
• Put a printed poster by the bar and in the toilets — regulars bring their friends.
• After the event, thank the teams and share the winners (with their permission).

6. Promote live sport and entertainment

Big matches, live music and comedy nights can fill a pub, but only if people know you're showing or hosting them.

• Publish a simple fixtures list for the week, and say which screens or rooms you'll use.
• Only advertise sport you're properly licensed to show.
• Tag or credit bands and performers — they'll often share the post with their own followers.
• Mention food and drink deals that suit the occasion, such as a match-day bucket or pie and a pint.

7. Take better food and pub photographs

You don't need a professional camera. A modern phone and a few habits will lift every post.

• Wipe the lens before you shoot — it makes a surprising difference.
• Shoot near a window in daylight and turn off harsh overhead lights if you can.
• Get close for food, and take a few shots from different angles.
• Keep clutter such as empty glasses, cloths and receipts out of frame.
• Take photos while service is quiet and save them for later in the week.

8. Encourage genuine customer reviews

Reviews help new customers decide whether to visit. Ask for them honestly, and never buy or fake them — Google and the law both take a dim view.

• Ask every customer the same way — for example a line on the bill or a table card saying "We'd value your honest review". Don't pick out only the people who seem happy; Google's policies don't allow selectively asking for positive reviews.
• Never offer drinks, discounts or prizes in exchange for a review.
• Put a QR code linking to your Google review page on table cards or receipts.
• Reply to every review, positive or negative, politely and briefly.
• Treat a fair criticism as useful feedback and mention what you've changed.

9. Build relationships with the local community

A pub that's part of its community gets talked about. Word of mouth is still one of the strongest reasons people choose a local.

• Host or sponsor a local sports team, walking group or charity night.
• Offer your function room to clubs and societies on quieter evenings.
• Work with nearby businesses — the butcher who supplies your roast, the local brewery, the village shop.
• Share community news and local events, not just your own promotions.

10. Create a consistent weekly social media plan

Posting little and often works better than bursts of activity followed by silence. A simple weekly rhythm takes the guesswork out of what to post.

• Monday: what's on this week.
• Wednesday: a food or drink special.
• Thursday or Friday: weekend events and Sunday lunch.
• Saturday or Sunday: a behind-the-scenes or atmosphere shot.
• Keep a note of upcoming events so you're never starting from a blank page.

11. Promote quieter weekdays

Most pubs have a slow night or two. Rather than discounting everything, give people a specific reason to come in on that evening.

• Create a regular themed night: curry night, pie and a pint, board games or an open mic.
• Target groups who are free midweek, such as local clubs, workers finishing early or retired regulars.
• Promote it consistently for several weeks before judging whether it works.

Example post (illustrative)"Monday is Pie Night — any homemade pie and a pint for £15, from 5pm. Perfect for starting the week gently."

12. Measure what marketing actually brings customers in

It's easy to keep doing things because they feel busy. A few simple checks will show what's genuinely bringing people through the door.

• Compare takings or covers on promoted nights with similar nights you didn't promote.
• Ask new faces how they heard about you, and jot down the answers.
• Use a simple code word for an offer ("mention the quiz post") to see which posts get used.
• Check the insights in Facebook, Instagram and your Google Business Profile once a month.
• Drop what doesn't work and do more of what does.

Ready-to-adapt example posts

Swap the details in square brackets for your own, and add a photo you've taken that week.

A simple weekly action plan

Monday

Post what's on this week and check your Google hours are right.

Tuesday

Take a few photos of food, drinks and the bar while it's quiet.

Wednesday

Share a food or drink special.

Thursday

Announce the weekend and Sunday lunch; remind people about any event.

Friday

Last call for weekend events; reply to new reviews and comments.

Saturday

Share an atmosphere or behind-the-scenes photo or Story.

Sunday

Jot down what was busy and what wasn't, ready for next week.